Warzycha: 'It's All About Getting In The Playoffs'

Saturday marks the halfway point of the 2013 season for the Crew. Through 16 games, the Crew sits at 5-6-5, tied for sixth and three points out of the final playoff spot.

Yesterday, I sat down with head coach Robert Warzycha for some of his thoughts on where his team stands as we approach the midpoint.

Is this club still the MLS Cup contender it was touted as by the front office during the preseason? Warzycha thinks so, but the coach isn't necessarily forecasting a high seed should the club reach the playoffs.

Saturday marks the halfway point of the 2013 season for the Crew. Through 16 games, the Crew sits at 5-6-5, tied for sixth and three points out of the final playoff spot.

Yesterday, I sat down with head coach Robert Warzycha for some of his thoughts on where his team stands as we approach the midpoint.

Is this club still the MLS Cup contender it was touted as by the front office during the preseason? Warzycha thinks so, but the coach isn’t necessarily forecasting a high seed should the club reach the playoffs.

“Look at the previous years,” he said. “You can check the standings and teams that came into the playoffs last won probably five times (actually three) in the last eight years. It’s all about getting in the playoffs. How you get in the playoffs doesn’t matter because through the season you may struggle and face injuries and suspensions and stuff and you threw away a game here and there, but if you get to the playoffs it’s a completely different story.”

Six points separate seven teams in the Eastern Conference, from Philadelphia second at 25 points to suddenly surging Chicago in eighth with 18. In other words, the Crew is not far out despite a string of disappointing results and inconsistent play.

“You just said it: (we’re) not too far, but far away,” Warzycha said. “We’ve got to win important games. An important game was the game against Chicago that we lost at home. Those are the games we have to win. We have to start winning important games.”

In his fifth full season as the Crew’s head coach, Warzycha is 67-52-51. At this point last season, the Crew was 6-6-4 with Jairo Arrieta and Federico Higuain yet to play a game.

Given this season’s struggles, Warzycha said this has not been a more challenging season for him as a coach than the 2012 season.

“Every year is challenging,” he said. “Challenging was the year we had so many young players and played in the Champions’ League and so many other games. That was challenging because you go from one game to another game every three days, playing here and there. I think it’s not challenging – every year is challenging.”

More frustrating, though?

“For me, it’s a little bit frustrating because we do have a good team and we play good soccer but we don’t score the goals and get results,” he said. “Knowing that, and knowing soccer for so many years and playing soccer for so many years, that happens. That happens to the best teams. In this sport, really little things make the difference. One play makes the difference, and that’s what can hurt you.

“More than anything, we don’t have final say in the games. Let’s put it that way. We’re letting the other teams have the final say.”

That, to me, seems like a change from last year.

“I think we’re playing better soccer than last year,” Warzycha said. “I’m not saying that we’re letting teams dictate. I’m saying one play makes a difference, and even if we are dictating the tempo and the rules on the field, we’re getting caught by one play. That’s the difference this year. If you want to win the games, you can’t let this happen.”

Check tomorrow’s paper for Crew president and general manager Mark McCuller’s take on the season so far.